Lucky Penny (Red and White Blends)
A few weeks ago, I was invited to the launch of the Lucky Penny red and white blends in Vancouver. I did not make it to the launch, sadly, because I have been so incredibly busy with the end of the semester, as well as some sad personal times, that if you read my blog you’ll know what I am talking about. So I didn’t get to taste Lucky Penny wines on the day they launched. However, I did get to try them out.
A few weeks ago I was sent a couple of bottles of their red and white blends, and I also served a couple of glasses to some attendees of my 5 year blogiversary party. I found the blending approach rather interesting, because you would think that blends may or may not work depending on who blends them and how. And I love Australian wine (the makers of Lucky Penny are the same as the ones from yellow tail, one of my favorites).
Since I’m not a winemaker (or heck, much a connoisseur) (although I will have you know that I studied how to distill wine in my Chemical Engineering degree), I will just share my personal impressions of Lucky Penny.
Lucky Penny is a carefully balanced blend of three grape varieties that work harmoniously together. Approachable, unpretentious and bursting with flavour
The vintage 2010 white wine blend of Chardonnay (65%), Viognier (20%) and Pinot Grigio (15%) has a relatively low alcohol percentage (11.5%) which made it really light and good for an afternoon gathering like the one I was hosting. This is a wine that can easily be consumed during a hot warm summer day, on its own. I would suspect it would go well with Italian, strong-flavoured pasta (like a Puttanesca or an Amatriciana). The tasting notes indicate that The Pinot Grigio brings soft fruit flavours of pear and melon that complement the citrus and toasted honey notes from the Chardonnay. Viognier adds a touch of apricot. The flavours are bright and interesting and the palate is full and rich with a clean ripe finish.
I’m not 100% sold on the proposed chicken and asparagus risotto or grilled barramundi with herb butter pairing suggested by Lucky Penny but they are good options though.
The vintage 2009 red wine blend of Shiraz (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Merlot (20%) was for me, a total hit, as it was for my party attendees. This South Australian red wine blend is substantially stronger than its white counterpart, with a solid alcohol percentage (13.5%) which makes it much more of a night-time, dinner or cheese-and-wine evening party wine. While it was really good for my afternoon gathering, I would posit that the Lucky Penny red wine blend is very much a night-time drink. This is a wine that can easily be consumed during a cold or breezy summer day, on its own, or together with some tasty food. I would suspect it would go well with light flavors that wouldn’t counter-overpower the wine rich flavor (like a good New York steak).
From the tasting notes, I learned about the 3 flavours that are prominent in the wine. The Shiraz brings rich fruit flavours of blueberry, Cabernet Sauvignon adds a hint of chocolate while Merlot contributes subtle vanilla undertones.
Overall, a delicious pair of wines that I’ll definitely try out and serve at my parties again.
Disclosure: I was sent the two bottles of wine for review from Lucky Penny. I am not obligated to post a review nor was I paid to write about them, however I do believe that they are good wines and I wanted to share my views with my readership. As always, I retain editorial control over any content I post on my website.
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